Destiny of Darkness
by hunterofartemis08
Summary: She was born to a destiny. A horrible, horrible destiny. It will not be easy, but she must live on. She must break through the path her grandfather created for her. She must make her mother proud.
1. Prologue: The Birth

The night was one of those that you didn't let go by without noticing; with a storm that rammed against the sparkling glass windows and the fresh wood of the house. Flickering lights shone from candles behind the windows, the small silver stands in silhouette. Figures moved behind some of the windows, walking back and forth, but in others it was still, the rooms behind them empty.

In one room, behind the curtains that hung from the window, a man was pacing back and forth, wringing his hands with worry. His thin hair was flopping careless over his forehead, small grey hairs already formed. He kept glancing to the door, sweat forming on his brow in a shining pattern. The door was open slightly, light bleeding in from the wooden hallway. Footsteps pounded past him, voices whispering quickly. The sounds of his footsteps were cushioned by the large carpet that covered the wooden floor, but there were no carpets on the hall outside.

The doorknob turned, the door opening wide. A woman walked in with her head tilted downward, her hands clasped in front of her. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun at the top of her neck, loose hair waving down beside her head. "Sir?" She whispered, not daring to look at the man.

The man turned to look at her, his eyes wide and crazy. The veins stood out against the white, deep red branches. "What? What is it?"

"She is giving birth, sir." Her hands gripped her apron, fingers stroking it. She still didn't look up.

A smile filled his face, white teeth wide. "Truly?" He leaned forward slightly on his feet, standing on his toes.

"Yes sir."

He pushed past her, rushing into the hall. She was pressed against the wall, her hair brushing past her. He raced past the people filling the hall, pushing them to the side. His eyes were still crazy, filled with a strange hunger not usually found on men. One of the women pulled a door open but the man did not thank her. She did not take offence, just closed the door behind him and joined the other woman by the bed.

A woman was sitting on the bed, her hair wet with sweat and hanging from her head limply. Her eyes were squeezed closed in pain, her mouth pressed shut. The man reached forward, his hand clutching the end of the bed.

"Now are you sure it is his child?" he asked her, his voice quick. "Are you completely sure?"

"Sir, I'm not sure this is the time." One of the older maids said, pressing a wet cloth on the woman's head.

"Be quiet!" The man snapped. He turned back to the woman. "Is it?" He prompted.

"Yes." The woman breathed. Her mouth only opened a small amount.

The man's eyes became filled with joy. "Good." He reached out a hand to grip the quilt in reassurance. "Good."

The woman's face became contorted in pain, small winces emitting form her mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to not make a single noise. Small breathes emerged from her mouth, quick in number.

"Sir, I believe you should leave." The maid said, pressing the woman's fingers tightly in her own. "The lady needs her privacy."

"No." He shook his head feverously. "I must be here for the birth."

"Please Father." The woman whispered, her eyes pressed together. "Leave."

He looked at her in surprise, but he left the room. It was too important for her to be comfortable right now. He leaned against the wall outside the room, his eyes closed. One of the maids pulled the door closed behind him.

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Screams filled the house from the woman's room; screams filled with pain and horror. The man just leaned against the wall, his eyes closed in thought as his hands rubbed together in front of him.

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Inside the room maids rushed around, everyone busy. The woman sat crying in the bed, her mouth open in horror. Tears streamed down her face, landing on the blanket below. The screams that echoed throughout the house flowed from her mouth, loud and earsplitting.

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After an hour the man began to pace again, glancing every few minutes back to the door. But it didn't open. It was just pressed shut, light spreading out from the crack. Feet rushed past, blocking the light from reaching the hall.

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A different cry filled the house. It was higher pitched, a completely different sound then the one of the woman. The woman's screams were gone, instead replaced by the sound of happy crying.

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The baby's face was red, eyes squeezed shut. The feathery white hair was pressed against the head, almost invisible. The maids were washing it carefully. The woman was watching from her bed, leaning her head against the pillows that were piled up behind her. She sighed, watching as her child slowly stopped crying.

The maids wrapped the child in a blanket made of a silk that changed color with light. They handed the child to the mother, smiling. The mother took her child gently, holding it tightly against her chest. The baby burrowed its face in her nightgown, breathing in the sweet smell that was coming off of it.

"Is it a girl?" She asked, tears falling down her face. Her hand rested against the baby's head, smoothing the hair down.

The midwife nodded, "Yes."

The woman's smile filled her face. She stroked the baby's hair, her fingers twirling it. The baby looked up at her with eyes wide. She opened her mouth a small amount. Then her eyes fluttered shut with small breaths moving in and out of her tiny mouth.

"I'm not going to let my father name her," She said watching her child's sleeping face. "I'm going to name my child." Her voice was cracking, tears falling down her face. The baby's stirred in her sleep, but did not wake.

The midwife laughed, "Very well. What are you going to name your child?"

"I know what she is going to have to do," She whispered, trailing a finger around her child's face. "I know what my father wants her to do," She laughed slightly. "I want her name to be something she can latch onto as she fights through her life."

"What are you going to name her?" The midwife said, her face filled with a fake smile.

"Vivere," She kissed her child's head. "Vivere Clara Puer."

The midwife forced another smile. "That is a lovely name. Latin, is it?"

"Yes. For live." She replied, her voice fading off towards the end.

"Would you like me to call in your father?"

"I would like to have some time alone with my child, if you don't mind." She said, her voice sterner than before. The midwife nodded, slowly backing out of the room. She waved for the other maids to follow her.

When she heard the door closed, the woman began to talk to her sleeping child. "I'm so sorry for what is going to happen to you, for all of the horrible responsibility that is going to be placed on your tiny shoulders. I'm sorry that your destiny has already been decided far before you were even breathing the air from this world. But you will have to be strong, so very strong. I won't be able to see you after now, but you're going to be faced with horrible decisions, and you will have to make the right ones. Please, choose the right ones. Try to stay alive, my beautiful child. Try to stay alive, my beautiful Vivere." She pressed her face against her sleeping child, her tears mixing with the delicate hair. "Stay alive."

She heard a knocking on the door. "Come in." She called, kissing her child's head once more.

Her father walked in. He didn't even look at his daughter's face, his eyes focused on the child that rested in her arms.

"Is this it?" He asked the air around her, pointing to the child.

"Yes. And 'it' is a she." She pointed out, holding the child against herself. The baby shifted again. "Are you here to take her?" She asked him, looking over her child's head.

He didn't look fazed. "It is her destiny. Please, don't make this difficult."

She took a deep breath. "I wasn't planning on being difficult." She reached out, the baby cradled in her arms. "Take her."

The man reached out greedily, grabbing the baby from her arms. He held it in front of him as though it was a foreign object, something alien and never seen before. He left the room, a reassured smile on his face. The woman watched him leave; her eyes wet with tears.

The man walked through the halls, his pace fast. He was so close, but they were running out of time. _He_ would be coming soon. And _he_ didn't like to wait. But he was so close, so very very close.

The room is right in front of him, the door locked tight. The door was never opened, but tonight it had to be. _He_ would be waiting there, with his dark eyes watching the door, waiting for it to open. Because _he _knew it would. _He _knew that he wouldn't dare to not follow the orders that he had been given.

His hand reached out, inserting a key into the lock. He turned it, the sharp click filling the silent hall. The only other noise was the one of the soft breathing of the baby in his arms, the air flowing softly in and out of her lungs.

His hand pushed the door open, darkness shadowing the hall. The candles along the wall were blown out, the smoke rising up in little columns. The man reached in his pocket for a wand, but found it empty.

"_I see you have listened to me._" The voice wove its way through the hall, mixing with the darkness and the smoke. "_Give me the child._"

The man was shaking, his voice squeaking. "Y-y-ye-yes m-my lo-lord." He bowed, holding the child out in front of him. "H-he-here m-my lo-lord."

Hands reached out and took the baby from his arms, pulling it into the darkness. "_You may go._"

The man nodded feverously, backing away. The man in the shadows stands still, watching as the pathetic man backs down the hallway. He stroked the baby's head.

"_You will do great things, Vivere. Great things._" With that a loud 'crack' filled the manor and he vanished, leaving behind no trace.

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They appeared in the middle of a dark path, the man's cloak swirling around them. His hand rested lightly on the sleeping child's head while the other played with the wand. He strode to the large gate that stood at the end of the long road.

He reached it, his hand reaching out to stoke the black iron that intertwined to create a strange web like pattern. Almost immediately someone came out, their cape flying behind them.

She pressed her face against the fence, her right hand reached above her to grip the iron. Her eyes scanned the darkness in front of her for a moment before they fell to the man who stood in front of her.

"My lord!" She exclaimed, her eyes widening. "Please, come in." The fence faded away, leaving a hole for which him to enter. She backed away, bowing feverously. The man ignored her, just walking past towards the manor that stood in the distance.

The woman's eyes watched him as he left, staring hungrily at his retreating figure. She didn't know what to think of the fact that the Dark Lord was here at the manor, with a baby in his arms at that.

He reached the grand doors, waving his wand to force them open. He walked, with his cape flowing behind him, to the main room where he knew that they would be waiting.

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The small house elf was cleaning dust from the mantle, head tilted downward as it attempted to not listen in on what the family was discussing. A man was passing, his hands rubbing back and forth. He kept glancing to the door, waiting for it to open. His wife was curled in the chair, clutching their baby son to her chest.

"He's going to come. I feel it. I just know it." The man was mumbling, his eyes wide. His wife remained silent, stroking her son's head. The child began to cry, feeling his parents' worry.

"Shh Draco. Shh, Mommy has you. No need to cry." She pressed his head to her lips, smothering the cries. "Shh."

The door shot open, a man strolling in. His face was shadowed by the hood, only his pale mouth able to be seen. In his arms sat a sleeping child, wrapped in a dark blanket.

"My lord." Lucius bowed, sweeping his robe aside. "What a pleasure it is to have you here my lord."

"_I have something to ask of you._" He said, holding the child tightly. It felt strange for him to be asking, but this was something he needed.

"Yes my lord, whatever you would like my lord." He bowed again.

"_I need you to care for this child until I come back for her_."

"Whatever you wish, my lord." He gestured for his wife to stand. "Narcissa, take the child."

She stood, shifting her child to one arm. Draco had stopped crying, instead choosing to be interested in the new child that slept in front of him, the first child his age that he had seen. She took the child in her arm, adjusting her to the other arm. Draco stared at her, his grey eyes wide. Narcissa looked down at the two children in her arms.

"Who is she?"

"_Vivere Clara Puer. I will return for her, and when I do I expect you to return her to me._" With that, the man turned and strode off, back to where the gate awaited him. As soon as he had left the room, the first woman, the one from the gate, rushed in.

"Who is she? What did the Dark Lord want?" She asked, looking between Lucius, Narcissa and the girl that rested in her arms.

"Vivere Clara Puer." Lucius told her, staring at the child as well. "He wanted us to care for her until he returned."

"How do I feel I know her name?" Narcissa asked, returning to her seat.

"There is a death eater by the name Puer." Bellatrix pointed out. "Perhaps she is related to him."

"But why would the Dark Lord want us to care for her?"

"Well, since we have our own child who appears to be the same age he knew we would be able to care for a child." Lucius sat down in a chair in front of the fire. "Light the flame." He spoke to the air, but all in the room knew that he was specifically talking to the house elf that stood in the corner, having finished its assignment of dusting. It nodded, rushing forward to start the fire.

Soon the light of the fire began to play across Lucius' face, shading parts of his face while outlining others. Bellatrix sat down next to him, pulling out her wand to play with. Narcissa looked down at the two children in her arms, Draco now asleep. She stood, walking silently out of the room.

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Soon, she reached Draco's nursery. She placed him down in the crib, covering him with a deep green blanket. His small fists balled, his head turned slightly to the side. She placed a small bear in his arms, allowing him to grip it tightly.

Then she turned to the girl that had been sitting in the pile of pillows to the side while Narcissa prepared Draco for bed. Narcissa reached down and picked her gently up, wondering in her mind where the small child would sleep.

She reached into her sleeve, pulling out her wand. Waving it, she created another room attached to Draco's, almost an identical copy. She placed the small child in the crib, placing an identical toy in her arms that was resting in Draco's. She reached down and stroked the child's hair.

"I don't know what the Dark Lord wants with you." She told the sleeping child. "But I know it can't be good. I feel sorry for you, for I can tell your future will not be easy." She drew away, shutting the door and cloaking the room in darkness.

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**REJOICE!**

**You-Know-Who has been defeated! The World of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been saved. The young boy who saved us all, one year old Harry Potter, has not been seen after the historical event. Aurors searched the house in Godric's Hollow, but were unable to discover any signs of the young boy. But the whole of the Magical World thanks Mr. Harry Potter for what he has done for us all.**

**Wanted**

**All known and suspected Death Eaters are wanted for questioning by the Ministry of Magic. Anyone who knows of anything involving Death Eaters should report all facts to the Ministry of Magic. Depending on the severity of the information, suitable rewards shall be given.**

**Last Wishes of Luna Puer**

**Though the Puer's are a well-known Death Eater family, the female child has not chosen to follow her father's footsteps. I found Luna lying near death on her bed, waiting to tell me one last thing before she departed from this world. As she told me right before her death, "I hope the world is able to forgive my family for all of their wrongdoings so that my daughter is able to live the life that she deserves."**

**Sadly, I was unable to ask Luna any more questions before her death. But I was able to find a will in the drawer next to her bed. At the top it wished for it to be printed in the Daily Prophet, so I have decided to follow her final wish and print it here.**

_**The last will and testament of Luna Dea Angelus Puer**_

_**To my father I leave the hope that you will learn the horror of your actions, and the hope that the Wizarding world shall forgive you.**_

_**To my deceased mother I leave the wish that you are happy where you are and that I will join you soon.**_

_**To the midwife that helped to deliver my child I leave the want that you shall live through everything that will happen to my family and that you will be able to restart your life.**_

_**To my daughter I leave the belief that you will be strong with everything that faces you.**_

_**To the World of Witchcraft and Wizardry I leave only the wish that you will help me find my daughter and save her from the fate that awaits her.**_

_**Please, help me find her. Help me find Vivere Clara Puer before it's too late.**_

**Anyone that knows anything of Vivere Clara Puer, where she is or what her fate is, please inform the Ministry of Magic. We have decided to respect Luna's last wishes and begin a search for her child.**

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"We can't keep her here! People are searching for any information on her, and there is no way that we will be able to hide her forever!" Lucius shouted, pointing towards the child that sat on the floor, staring at the flames that played in the fireplace. Narcissa was sitting in the chair beside her, playing with Draco's hands as he slept. She was ignoring them.

Lucius continued. "There is no knowing what amount of time will pass before they find us, and they won't care about the fact we don't know who she is! Her will didn't say what she thought happened to the child, so they might think we kidnapped her!" He waved the days issue of the Daily Prophet in the air.

"But what are we going to do with her? It isn't as though we can just leave her on the streets, someone will find her! Just because the Dark Lord appears to be gone does not mean we should give up one of his last wishes!" Bellatrix told him from her seat by the fire, leaning against her hand. Her face was clearly annoyed.

"We _can_ just leave her on the streets. No one will find her!"

"If we must leave her somewhere, we should leave her someplace where, when the Dark Lord returns, he should be able to find her."

"Perhaps we should bring her to Dumbledore. We do not need to tell him who she is, for he most likely knows. But we know he won't do anything to her. He might keep her even safer than we would." Narcissa whispered, causing her sister and husband to turn sharply to her.

"How dare you even consider it? Do you even know what you're saying?" Lucius asked her, his voice sharp and angry.

"Yes, in fact I know quite well what I am saying." She returned, surprising him slightly with the quickness of her response. "Dumbledore won't question how we got her, if he questions it I know for a fact that he will only be in his head. He will want the best for her as much as we do."

Lucius remained silent for a moment, his hands and teeth clenched tight. Bellatrix beside him was visibly fuming. Her eyes were shooting back in forth in a crazy fashion.

"It would be the best thing." Lucius finally said, his nails digging into his palms. "We should bring her to Dumbledore."

Bellatrix's mouth opened wide in anger, but she wasn't able to say a thing. Lucius left the room to find a quill and parchment. Bellatrix glared at Narcissa, but her sister was ignoring her, instead choosing to entertain Vivere as she looked up at Narcissa with an innocent look on her face.

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_Dear Professor Dumbledore,_

_Accompanied with this letter is a child by the name of Vivere Clara Puer. I believe you know who she is, thanks to the Daily Prophet article that was published on her. But I have decided that for her safety that she be given to you. Please do not try to contact me to discover how Vivere came into my possession. When the time has come, I shall return to fetch Vivere in order to return her to her rightful place._

_Sincerely,_

_Lucius Malfoy_

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Dumbledore leaned back, rubbing his eyes as he read the final line of the letter he had just received.

_When the time has come, I shall return to fetch Vivere in order to return her to her rightful place._

_Sincerely,_

_Lucius Malfoy_

He didn't know how Vivere had come into Lucius' possession, and questions of it filled his mind. But he decided to respect his wish and not ask. Lucius was already trying to hide the fact that he had ever worked for Voldemort and he didn't want to make it any worse for him. There had to be some reason for him to want to hide Vivere so much.

Dumbledore looked down at the desk in front of him, where a small bundle of dark blankets sat. He reached out his hands and gently unwrapped the black blankets. The first thing he noticed was the small face that was framed by the blankets.

It was pale, shaped perfectly. It seemed to have the exact amount of baby fat, the exact right size face. The small, pale eyelashes rested lightly on her cheeks. Though most of her head was covered by the blanket, he was able to see a small amount of white hair. As he watched, her eyes opened slowly and she stared up at him. He looked startled as she looked up at him with her black eyes.

_There is only one other person that I know with eyes as dark and as strange as these._ He thought as he stared down at her. She looked up at him and giggled, reaching through the fabric for the beard that hung down from his face. He smiled at her, reaching down to hold her hand. She giggled again, her giggle as perfect as her face.

Dumbledore waved his wand to cast a patroness in order to send a message. As soon as he was through the phoenix flew off, in search for Professor McGonagall. While he waited he played with Vivere, making her laugh fill the room. Soon he heard a knocking at the door and he called for whoever it was to enter.

Professor McGonagall rushed in, her brown hair pulled carelessly into a bun while her bathrobe seemed to be thrown on randomly. She rushed up the the desk, her eyes flickering between the child and Dumbledore.

"Is it true? Is that really her?" She asked, reaching out a hand to feel the child's blankets that were spread out along the desk. Vivere turned to her, her eyes widening at the sight of a new face. By now Vivere was sitting up, her legs crossed under the lacy white nightgown. She waved to McGonagall eagerly, and, stunned, McGonagall waved back.

"Yes."

"But how can you be sure?" She asked. "Are you truly going to trust Lucius Malfoy?" Vivere was sucking with her hand, her eyes flickering between the two adults.

"The most important thing now is that Vivere is safe. Lucius seemed to trust me enough to deliver Vivere to me, no matter how she came into his possession. I am going to do as much as I can to protect her, just as I'm protecting Harry. Minerva, take care of her. I need to think of the best way to keep her safe." He leaned back, resting a hand on his chin. McGonagall nodded, lifting Vivere into her arms.

"Come here sweetheart." She whispered, kissing the child's head. Vivere smiled, her fists reaching up to hug McGonagall's neck.

She turned and left, going to her office to find a place for the child to sleep. Dumbledore watched as they left, his mind cranking with thought. He didn't know exactly who Vivere was, but he had his suspicions.

Just the fact that Lucius had her, the fact that Luna asked in her will for the Wizarding World to find her before it was too late, made it all too strange. There must be something about her that makes her different, rather than just being Luna's child. But what? What on earth could be so strange about Vivere?

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**The Boy Who Lived?**

**No one knows what happened to the boy who destroyed You-Know-Who. He hasn't been seen since the night in October when You-Know-Who was defeated. The Wizarding World thanks Mr. Harry Potter for all he has done. It's been ten years since the event, so it is possible that he will be attending Hogwarts next year. The Headmaster has not told us any information about Mr. Harry Potter, instead choosing to lock us out of his office (how rude!).**

**The Hunt for Vivere Puer**

**It has been ten years since the article that we published with presented Luna Puer's will. Sadly, we have not been able to find any information about Vivere Puer's whereabouts. It has been decided by the Ministry of Magic that the search for her be postponed. If you have information on her, you are still able to report it. However now, there is no longer a set office in the Ministry for researching it. We still hope that we will be able to find Vivere in order to complete her mother's wish.**


	2. Chapter One: The Sorting

**A/N: I don't own anything you recognize. Warning: cursing.**

**Harry Potter Discovers Philosopher Stone, then Destroys**

**Harry Potter has risen up and managed to discover the Philosopher Stone. It was originally believed that the Stone was under the possession of Nicolas Flamel. Before anyone in the ministry was able to discover where the stone was it has been theorized that Mr. Harry Potter destroyed the stone. Headmaster of Hogwarts has not allowed us an audience with young Mr. Harry Potter, so all information is from the rumors that are currently being passed around Hogwarts.**

**Chamber of Secrets Opened, Monster in it Destroyed**

**Rumors that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened again were drifting around for some time this year. Now, thanks to the insider information of one of the students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, we are able to confirm these rumors to be true. Rumor among the students is that Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley and former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Gilroy Lockhart were all present in the chamber, but one of them has yet to step forward with the truth.**

**Prisoner Serious Black Avoided Capture: Keep on the Look Out**

**Murder Serious Black, recent escapee from Azkaban, and once again managed to evade the Ministry's grasp by somehow managing to escape from the highest tower at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is believed that students inside the school aided the criminal, but specific names have yet to be disclosed.**

**Harry Potter Declared Champion of Triwizard Tournament**

**The youngest competitor, one fourteen year old by the name of Harry Potter, somehow managed to win the Triwizard Tournament this year. How he managed to best three much higher skilled wizards and witches is beyond reason. Sadly, fellow contender Cedric Digory died in the final tournament. Cause of death has yet to be disclosed but according to Mr. Potter, none other than He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named killed the young boy.**

**Harry Potter: Mental?**

**Harry Potter claims that You-Know-Who is back? Hogwash! He has already shown that his mental state is not in perfect condition; it is possible he fabricated this 'rebirth' of You-Know-Who to gain more attention than he currently has. The ministry warns everyone who knows Mr. Potter to not believe what he says. He is only trying to create fear for the Wizarding World.**

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Professor Dumbledore stood in front of me, reviewing the story that I was to follow. I was only partially listening. It had been scratched into my memory what I had to do and no amount of lecturing could change that. It was a second before I registered that his voice had fallen silent and I was forced to blink before I looked into his face. His sharp blue eyes were watching me carefully, no doubt attempting to make sure I had heard him. With a sigh he turned and left the room.

Professor McGonagall moved from beside me and gently took my hand. Her eyes were filled with tears and I felt the urge to wipe them away. But before I could move she drifted away. She had the first years to attend too.

I knew I had a few minutes of my own, and I knew that Professor Dumbledore would have wanted me to review the plan. I had to stay in this room until I heard Professor Dumbledore say the cue. Then I was to move through the door and stay there until my name was called. The door would open and I was to take a seat on the stool that was going to be sitting in front of the large hall, millions of eyes staring up at me. Professor McGonagall would place the Sorting Hat on my head and it would make its decision. Then I would take my seat at the table of the House chosen and begin my year as a fifth year student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Professor McGonagall's voice rang through the air as she called the names of the first year students. It continued for a few minutes, the names occupied after a varied amount of time by the Sorting Hat's voice calling out a House. I heard the last name, one starting with a 'z'. Soon.

"To our newcomers," said Dumbledore in a ringing voice. I moved towards the door. "Welcome! To our old - welcome back! Before you partake in the feast before you, there is one last student to be sorted. She will be going the fifth year and has been transferred from Beauxbatons. Will Vivere Puer please step into the room?" The door in front of me opened and I walked through, hands clutching the sides of my dark skirt. Lights blurred before me in a mix of colors. I tried to look away from the faces that lined the room. But I could still feel all of their surprise digging into my back. As I walked towards where the stool sat waiting my eyes caught those of one of the Professors that sat at the table in the front of the room.

His dark eyes were filled with something. Hatred? Surprise? Anger? Worry? Black hair floated around his pale face, skin stretched tight. I noticed that one hand clutched the table in a way that was not natural. His name floated in the back of my mind as we stared at each other but I wasn't able to grasp it. It kept jumping away, seeming to giggle as it evaded me.

I took my seat and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat carefully on my head._ "Oh, interesting. You are very VERY interesting. This will be fun." _The voice was the same as the one that rang through the room after each name. _"There is something different about you, something different. And your head…this will be difficult. You could go into any house. But not Hufflepuff. You aren't right for that. You have the bravery of a Gryffindor, but you would not do well there. Ravenclaw would fit you, with the intelligence that lurks in the back of your mind. You seem willing to learn, very willing. But another house suits you better. Oh yes, much better. What do you think of Slytherin?"_

Stories of the 'snake house' had been passed around in Beauxbatons. People spoke of the villains that had been produced by that house. Of the horribleness of the people chosen to go there. But under those stories, shut down by others, tales of the other houses floated into the ears of those who would listen. The other houses had produced their share of dark Wizards, but they worked hard to keep it down. None of the houses seemed preferable, but Slytherin interested me the most.

"_Very well. It is a good match for you. Especially because…oh, you don't know about that yet. That will be interesting. I am…happy to inform you that you are in SLYTHERIN!"_ The Sorting Hat shouted the last word and I felt the hat leave my head. A table on the far right of me started to clap politely and I moved towards them. The entirety of the Great Hall had their eyes on me and I could feel it on the back of my neck like a thousand bullets were passing through me. People moved aside to form a seat for me, but only one caught my attention.

His pale hair clung to his head and icy grey eyes watched me as I moved towards him. He wore the traditional school uniform, something I had yet to be given. It sported the green and silver colors of the Slytherin house, something that strangely seemed to fit him. There was something behind his eyes that made him different than all the others. And there was something about him…in the back of my mind…I felt like I knew him.

I slid into the seat next to him, placing my hands carefully in my lap. Dumbledore had finished his speech and the food had appeared on the table. The boy beside me didn't move and I didn't either. My head turned to look at him and we stared into each other's eyes.

"Hello Vivera." He said, tilting his head. "I'm Draco. Draco Malfoy."

"Nice to meet you Draco." I turned to look at the food. I carefully spooned some of the soup that sat in front of me into a bowl. My spoon dipped in and I brought it to my mouth. I blew on it before sticking it in and sucking the liquid off. While I continued to eat the soup I began watching the people that sat around me.

And I still felt the eyes of Draco on me. But there were other eyes on me. There was the Professor with the dark eyes who watched me with an expression I could not identify. There were the occasional eyes of the students as they searched the table for the mysterious new student. And there was one Professor, looking quite like a toad, who watched me with an expression of annoyance. I smiled to myself as I ate.

Soon the meal turned to dessert, the food from the main course disappearing and becoming sweets. None of it interested me, and from what I could tell the same was for Draco. I chose a small plate of fruit and began to stab it with my fork. Draco ate a bowl of pudding beside me. His eyes had mostly left me; instead they were turned to the table in the far side of the room. I followed his gaze.

Three people seemed to be the majority of his glare. One was a boy with bright red hair, stuffing his face with food. One was a girl with brown hair that bushed out from the sides of her head while she argued with the red-headed boy. The final was a boy with dark hair, calmly eating a plateful of treacle tart. There didn't seem to be anything outstanding about any of them.

The volume in the room had begun to raise considerable by the time Professor Dumbledore stood. Draco's eyes had left the three people, who I had deduced to be Gryffindor, and focused on me again. I shivered when I felt his gaze but we hadn't spoken again. The talking around us ceased immediately as all turned to face the Headmaster. "Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," said Dumbledore. "New students ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students - and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door.

"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons." A small amount of applause flowed through the room. "We are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was a round of polite but fairly unenthusiastic applause. I noted the name that matched the face of the toad-like woman. She smiled politely as the applause sounded.

Dumbledore continued, "Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the -"

He broke off, looking enquiringly at Professor Umbridge. As she was not much taller standing than sitting, there was a moment when nobody understood why Dumbledore had stopped talking, but then Professor Umbridge cleared her throat, "Hem, hem," and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech. I smiled, tucking a pale hair behind my ear. This was going to be interesting.

Dumbledore only looked taken aback for a moment, but he sat down smartly and looked alertly at Professor Umbridge as though he desired nothing better than to listen to her talk. Students had begun to whisper to themselves as she began.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome." Her voice was high-pitched, breathy and little-girlish. I wanted nothing more than to plug my ears from the sound and I fingered the wand that rested in my pocket. I toyed with the idea of cursing her but waved the idea away. She gave another little horrible throat-clearing cough ("hem, hem") and continued.

"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking up at me! I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!" Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again ("hem, hem"), but when she continued, some of the breathiness had vanished from her voice. She sounded much more businesslike and now her words had a dull learned-by-heart sound to them. I began to mentally lower the volume of her voice, letting it roll on in the back of my mind. "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching."

She paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back to her. "Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation…" I began to let her voice fade fully from my hearing. Students around me seemed to be doing the same, the silence broken up with whispers and giggles.

Draco leaned against me, his breath hot in my ear. "I know you."

My head shot around and I stared wide eyed at him. He looked pleased to have brought such a sudden reaction from me, but his eyes still held the tone of seriousness. "I know you from somewhere." He whispered again.

"What do you mean?" I hissed. My pale hair hung around my head and I brushed half of it away, tucking it behind my ear.

"I remember seeing you. When I was younger. You were young too. My age I think. You stared at me and your eyes were wide. I remember those dark eyes just looking at me. We both could talk, but we had a language of our own. No one else could understand it. We clutched the same toy. Then my father raised you into the air and you were gone. Your toy dropped and I watched it fall. I didn't understand what was going on, but you never came back."

I was tempted to tell him off for lying but there was something about his eyes that made me stop. They were desperate, searching with the hope that his memory wasn't fake. That we had known each other. Maybe it was because as he spoke the same memory floated back into my head, just from the other angle. I knew it wasn't false. I didn't have false memories…if I had them at all.

"Do you remember?" his voice brought me back. I nodded slowly.

"How would I know you?" We tilted both our heads at the same time. Umbridge's voice was still echoing throughout the hall and I realized faintly that her voice was fading. I looked up at her.

"…pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited." She sat down promptly. No one seemed to notice until Dumbledore began to clap. The staff followed suit, but I noticed that a few only brought their hands together once or twice before stopping. A few students joined in, I among them, but most were still unaware that her droning voice had stopped. Before they could start applauding properly Dumbledore had stood up again.

"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," he said, bowing to her.

"Like hell it was." Draco whispered and I was forced to smile. I ignored what Dumbledore was saying, already deciding that it wasn't important for me to listen.

My eyes scanned the line of Professors, already wondering which ones of the many would become my teachers. They landed on the same professor as before, his dark eyes watching the room with distaste. Our eyes met and the same expression of shock filled them. I shared that feeling. There was something strange about him. It was like there was something similar about the two of us.

"What are you looking at?" Draco snapped. I turned slowly towards him.

"Nothing." There was a blush rising up in my cheeks and I felt them burn. His pale eyebrows rose high in his hair.

"Nothing?" he chuckled. His head nodded towards the man I had been looking at. "That's Professor Snape. He's the potion professor." I glanced back towards him. His eyes hadn't moved.

Clattering and banging suddenly filled our ears and we jumped. I quickly reinserted myself in the room and found that Dumbledore that ceased talking and the people around us had stood. Draco's hand clutched my arm and he pulled me standing.

"Come on. I'll show you were the common room is." Before I could say a word I was pulled from the table. My feet stumbled and I attempted to wrench my arm from Draco's. His hand just clutched tighter, fingernails digging into my arm. He led me through the hallways, pushing through the crowd of fellow Slytherin's to reach our common room.

A large painting loomed over me. The large snake was slithering on the rock, forked tongue shooting out when it saw us enter. Draco didn't seem fazed by what stood before us.

"Bloodroot poison." The painting swung open and he pulled me through. A dark fireplace stood against one wall, flames small. The walls were draped in tapestries and I recognized a few as famous, mostly evil, witches and wizards. Dark, graceful chandeliers decorated the ceiling, but hardly any light managed to penetrate the room below. It was nearly entirely draped with darkness, with no windows to give a hint of where we were in the castle. I opened my mouth to ask but Draco seemed to know what I was going to say.

"We're in the dungeons of the castle." His hand fell from my arm. "Do you like it?"

Draco had pulled me so quickly that there were no other students in the room. I fell down onto one of the chairs. "Yeah." I smiled, gazing around the room. "It's nice." Draco seemed to be attempting to stop his face from lighting up in joy as he sat down across me. He leaned forward on his knees.

"We need to talk." His voice had lost the tone of enjoyment. I moved so I was sitting in the same fashion as him.

"What do you mean?" My hair had fallen from behind my ear, drifting past my face, but I didn't bother tucking it back.

"How can I know you?" his hands rubbed his hair in frustration. "How in this fucking planet can I know you?" his eyes watched me as he spoke.

"You know what, Draco," I leaned forward closer, "I don't bloody know. It is as much as a mystery to me as to you." Even as I said that I felt wrong saying it. I did know something else. I had other memories. But they were ones I couldn't share with this boy I-just?- meet.

Before Draco could say another word the portrait door swung open and students stumbled inside, their voices overtaking Draco's. The crowd of them didn't seem to realize that the two of us were sitting there. Draco leaned back in annoyance, knowing that he wasn't going to be able to force another word into the room.

Someone came up beside me, their voice somehow managing to be heard over the crowd of people. "Dumbledore told me to tell you to meet him. He also said to tell you that he quite enjoys Jelly Slugs. Don't know what that means." I nodded in thanks and stood. Draco's eyes followed me as I left the room.

I was thankful that Dumbledore had thought to show me where his office was before the Sorting Ceremony. I went in the direction that I remembered, already wondering why Dumbledore would have told me that he enjoyed 'Jelly Slugs'. I hadn't been fully paying attention when I entered his office before.

A gargoyle was resting in front of the wall, stone eyes glaring out at me. I stood there for a moment, realizing the fact that there was most likely a password to enter the office. My foot stamped the ground in frustration. Why had he not given me the password! Had he thought that I remembered? Hopefully not.

I searched my mind for something that could be used as a password. It was then, as I stood there, that my eyes lit up. Of course. Why hadn't I seen it before? "Jelly slugs." The wall slid away to reveal a large golden bird, wings stretched out in a rounded fashion. Stairs began to wrap themselves around the bird and I stepped onto one. Once my foot was on the steps it began to raise, twisting around the bird.

Tall wooden doors appeared in my vision and I stepped off, raising my fist to knock on the door. The knock resounded through the room. "Come in." The door swung open and I walked through.

Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, resting on intertwined fingers and staring at me over his half-moon glasses. One hand moved towards the wooden chair in front of the desk, as if to tell me 'sit there'. I slid into the seat, tucking the black skirt under me. "Why did you want to see me, Professor?"

"Are you enjoying your time here at Hogwarts?"

I nodded. "Yes Professor."

"I saw you've already become acquainted with one Draco Malfoy."

I shrugged. "We felt we knew each other. It seemed fitting." Dumbledore froze when he heard that. I tilted my head, taking a mental note that he might know something about what had happened to me.

"Has Mr. Malfoy explained to you yet how the dormitories work?"

"Not yet, Professor." I itched one arm through the white shirt I wore.

"Since your…position is different than what is usually found at Hogwarts, your situation with the dormitories is different as well. Normally five students of the same year and house would stay in a dormitory, males and females separated. Professor McGonagall and I have decided that you will stay in a separate room inside the Slytherin dormitories. The room was originally placed there as storage but the professors have a used a small amount of magic to clean it and make it habitable for living. It may be small, but it is suitable for use as a bedroom."

I nodded in thanks. "What of my uniform, Professor?"

"Ah!" he leaned down and pulled a drawer open. A small pile of clothes was held out and I carefully took it. A white shirt was folded on top, a green and silver tie wrapped around it. The dark robe was on the bottom, the green lining showing through the folded clothes. I tucked it in my lap, nodding. My fingers trailed over the folded clothes.

"Any more questions?"

"When will I receive my schedule?"

"Tomorrow at breakfast. Professor Snape, head of Slytherin House, will be handing it out. Anything else?"

"No sir."

"Then you may go." I stood, tucking the clothes tight to my chest. When I reached the door his voice spoke again. "Your belongings have already been placed in your room. It's on the stairs to the girls' dormitory, though instead of going up you go down." I turned and nodded again before leaving.

The stairs curled downward and the wall opened again. I stepped through and made my way back towards the Slytherin common room. "Bloodroot poison." The door swung open and I stepped through.

Most people were gone, Draco included, but a few remained reading by the fire. Their heads turned up when they saw me and their eyes followed me as I made my way towards the stairs. One girl was going before me, so I was able to find which staircase was the one going towards the girls' dormitory. I saw the stairs that went up, dark steps stretching in the murky candle light, and I saw those that went down. I went on the latter.

The steps were not that long and soon I reached a door with the words 'Vivera's Dormitory' in silver letters against the dark wood. I pushed the door open and smiled as I saw the room that sat before me. It was small but large enough to fit the bed, small fireplace and chest. There was a window against one wall and water flowed past, dark and murky. The Slytherin dormitories must be deep in the Black Lake. Though it had a foreboding feel, I felt at home.

I put the pile of clothes carefully on the bed, finger trailing for a moment on the green silk. The silver thread weaved in and out, trapping each string before untwining to create others. Green curtains hung around the edges of the bed off the dark wood. There was a wooden truck resting against one of the windows and I pulled the roof up, smiling when I saw the clothes that I had brought from Beauxbatons were resting folded inside.

I pulled a white nightgown from the top of the pile. It was tossed to the bed and I stood again. The uniform was placed inside the trunk and I pulled off the white blouse I was already wearing. The black skirt slid off and I kicked it in the random direction of the chest. My shoes flew off into one of the corners and the stockings I had been wearing fell to a crumpled heap. The night gown slipped over my head and I pulled my hair beside my head, wrapping it into a braid. Then I slid into bed, taking my wand with me. I waved it so the fire dimmed, letting a small amount of light dance against the walls.

I closed my eyes, willing myself to sleep. My body immediately began to oblige and I felt myself begin to slip away.

**A/N: I hope you like it. More will hopefully be coming soon! Please leave a review on what you think; I'll be sure to read it!**


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